The invention relates to a tubing organizer apparatus. More particularly, the invention is directed to a tubing organizer apparatus that releasably retains one or more lengths of pliable tubing.
In a hospital/healthcare environment, particularly in critical care or intensive care units, pliable tubing is often used to convey fluids into and from a patient. For example, medications may be supplied to the patient via tubes and bodily fluids may be withdrawn from the patient. Sometimes, such pliable tubing is either tied with a cord or taped to the patient""s bed or other fixtures or hardware found in the room. In such situations, moving the patient requires untying the cord or removal of the tape before the patient can be moved. Unfastening the tubing from the bed or other fixture also consumes time which might be critical to the patient""s well being.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a tubing organizer apparatus that can releasably retain one or more pliable tubes in an secure manner. It would also be beneficial to have such a tubing organizer apparatus that could releasably retain multiple lengths of pliable tubing in a well organized fashion so that a healthcare professional can ascertain and separate one length of tubing from another. It would also be beneficial if the tubing organizer apparatus were constructed to releasably retain multiple lengths of pliable tubing that have different tubing diameters. Additionally, it would be advantageous if such a tubing organizer apparatus was designed so that the pliable tubing can be easily connected thereto or removed therefrom.
The present invention is designed and constructed to provide the foregoing benefits, features and advantages as more fully described hereinafter.
It is an object of the invention to provide a tubing organizer apparatus that is constructed to releasably retain one or more lengths of pliable tubing.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tubing organizer apparatus that releasably retains multiple lengths of tubing in a separately disposed, organized fashion.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tubing organizer apparatus that releasably retains multiple lengths of pliable tubing which may have different tubing diameters.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a tubing organizer apparatus that releasably retains multiple lengths of pliable tubing in either a loose fitting, close fitting or force fitting manner.
Yet another of the invention is to provide a tubing organizer apparatus onto which a length of pliable tubing can be easily connected to, or removed from, the tubing organizer apparatus.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a tubing organizer apparatus that releasably retains one or more lengths of pliable tubing in either a horizontal, vertical, or angular orientation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tubing organizer apparatus that is of a simple design which may be economically manufactured by one or more conventional manufacturing processes.
Accordingly, the tubing organizer apparatus of the present invention as hereinafter described is especially constructed to accomplish the foregoing objects of the invention. The tubing organizer apparatus of the invention includes a substantially flat body member that extends radially outwardly from a central axis. The body member has opposite, preferably planar, surfaces and a peripheral wall disposed between the opposite surfaces to define a relatively thin thickness. The peripheral wall includes a plurality of exterior wall segments facing outwardly relative to the central axis and a plurality of interior wall segments connected to the exterior wall segments. The plurality of interior wall segments are configured to form a corresponding plurality of notches or cut outs that extend inwardly between consecutive ones of the exterior wall segments and into the body member relative to the central axis.
Another embodiment of the tubing organizer apparatus of the invention includes the body member and support structure. The support structure is sized and adapted for mounting the body member thereto for rotation about its central axis.
Another embodiment of the tubing organizer apparatus of the invention includes the body member, the support structure, and a plurality of gates. Preferably, each gate has a pair of finger elements. Each gate element is connected to respective interior wall segments and is operative to move to and between an opened state and a closed state. In the opened state, each one of the pair of finger elements of the gate element is moved outwardly from a respective notch allowing at least one pliable tube to pass into or out of the notch. In the closed state, the pair of finger elements span a respective notch adjacent and between consecutive ones of the exterior wall segments thereby retaining the pliable tube in such notch.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.